sally dows-第22章

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〃I　wouldn't　advise　you　to；〃　he　said；　looking　at　her　gravely。　　〃I
don't　think　it　will　pay　you。　　You'll　never　be　happy　there　as　here。
You'll　never　have　the　independence　and　freedom　you　have　here。
You'll　never　be　your　own　mistress　again。　　But　how　does　it　happen
you　never　were　in　San　Francisco？〃　he　said　suddenly。

If　he　would　not　talk　of　himself；　here　at　least　was　a　chance　for
Mrs。　Bunker　to　say　something。　　She　related　how　her　family　had
emigrated　from　Kansas　across　the　plains　and　had　taken　up　a
〃location〃　at　Contra　Costa。　　How　she　didn't　care　for　it；　and　how
she　came　to　marry　the　seafaring　man　who　brought　her　hereall　with
great　simplicity　and　frankness　and　as　unreservedly　as　to　a　superior
beingalbeit　his　attention　wandered　at　times；　and　a　rare　but
melancholy　smile　that　he　had　apparently　evoked　to　meet　her
conversational　advances　became　fixed　occasionally。　　Even　his　dark
eyes；　which　had　obliged　Mrs。　Bunker　to　put　up　her　hair　and　button
her　collar；　rested　upon　her　without　seeing　her。

〃Then　your　husband's　name　is　Bunker？〃　he　said　when　she　paused　at
last。　　〃That's　one　of　those　Nantucket　Quaker　namessailors　and
whalers　for　generationsand　yours；　you　say；　was　MacEwan。　　Well；
Mrs。　Bunker；　YOUR　family　came　from　Kentucky　to　Kansas　only　lately；
though　I　suppose　your　father　calls　himself　a　Free…States　man。　　You
ought　to　know　something　of　farming　and　cattle；　for　your　ancestors
were　old　Scotch　Covenanters　who　emigrated　a　hundred　years　ago；　and
were　great　stock　raisers。〃

All　this　seemed　only　the　natural　omniscience　of　a　superior　being。
And　Mrs。　Bunker　perhaps　was　not　pained　to　learn　that　her　husband's
family　was　of　a　lower　degree　than　her　own。　　But　the　stranger's
knowledge　did　not　end　there。　　He　talked　of　her　husband's　business
he　explained　the　vast　fishing　resources　of　the　bay　and　coast。　　He
showed　her　how　the　large　colony　of　Italian　fishermen　were　inimical
to　the　interests　of　California　and　to　her　husbandparticularly　as
a　native　American　trader。　　He　told　her　of　the　volcanic　changes　of
the　bay　and　coast　line；　of　the　formation　of　the　rocky　ledge　on
which　she　lived。　　He　pointed　out　to　her　its　value　to　the　Government
for　defensive　purposes；　and　how　it　naturally　commanded　the　entrance
of　the　Golden　Gate　far　better　than　Fort　Point；　and　that　it　ought　to
be　in　its　hands。　　If　the　Federal　Government　did　not　buy　it　of　her
husband；　certainly　the　State　of　California　should。　　And　here　he
fell　into　an　abstraction　as　deep　and　as　gloomy　as　before。　　He
walked　to　the　window；　paced　the　floor　with　his　hand　in　his　breast；
went　to　the　door；　and　finally　stepped　out　of　the　cabin；　moving
along　the　ledge　of　rocks　to　the　shore；　where　he　stood　motionless。

Mrs。　Bunker　had　listened　to　him　with　parted　lips　and　eyes　of
eloquent　admiration。　　She　had　never　before　heard　anyone　talk　like
THATshe　had　not　believed　it　possible　that　any　one　could　have　such
knowledge。　　Perhaps　she　could　not　understand　all　he　said；　but　she
would　try　to　remember　it　after　he　had　gone。　　She　could　only　think
now　how　kind　it　was　of　him　that　in　all　this　mystery　of　his　coming；
and　in　the　singular　sadness　that　was　oppressing　him；　he　should　try
to　interest　her。　　And　thus　looking　at　him；　and　wondering；　an　idea
came　to　her。

She　went　into　her　bedroom　and　took　down　her　husband's　heavy　pilot
overcoat　and　sou'wester；　and　handed　them　to　her　guest。

〃You'd　better　put　them　on　if　you're　going　to　stand　there；〃　she
said。

〃But　I　am　not　cold；〃　he　said　wonderingly。

〃But　you　might　be　SEEN；〃　she　said　simply。　　It　was　the　first
suggestion　that　had　passed　between　them　that　his　presence　there　was
a　secret。　　He　looked　at　her　intently；　then　he　smiled　and　said；　〃I
think　you're　right；　for　many　reasons；〃　put　the　pilot　coat　over　his
frock　coat；　removed　his　hat　with　the　gesture　of　a　bow；　handed　it　to
her；　and　placed　the　sou'wester　in　its　stead。　　Then　for　an　instant
he　hesitated　as　if　about　to　speak；　but　Mrs。　Bunker；　with　a　delicacy
that　she　could　not　herself　comprehend　at　the　moment；　hurried　back
to　the　cabin　without　giving　him　an　opportunity。

Nor　did　she　again　intrude　upon　his　meditations。　　Hidden　in　his
disguise；　which　to　her　eyes　did　not；　however；　seem　to　conceal　his
characteristic　figure；　he　wandered　for　nearly　an　hour　under　the
bluff　and　along　the　shore；　returning　at　last　almost　mechanically　to
the　cabin；　where；　oblivious　of　his　surroundings；　he　reseated
himself　in　silence　by　the　table　with　his　cheek　resting　on　his　hand。
Presently；　her　quick；　experienced　ear　detected　the　sound　of　oars　in
their　row…locks；　she　could　plainly　see　from　her　kitchen　window　a
small　boat　with　two　strangers　seated　at　the　stern　being　pulled　to
the　shore。　　With　the　same　strange　instinct　of　delicacy；　she
determined　not　to　go　out　lest　her　presence　might　embarrass　her
guest's　reception　of　his　friends。　　But　as　she　turned　towards　the
living　room　she　found　he　had　already　risen　and　was　removing　his　hat
and　pilot　coat。　　She　was　struck；　however；　by　the　circumstance　that
not　only　did　he　exhibit　no　feeling　of　relief　at　his　deliverance；
but　that　a　half…cynical；　half…savage　expression　had　taken　the　place
of　his　former　melancholy。　　As　he　went　to　the　door；　the　two　gentlemen
hastily　clambered　up　the　rocks　to　greet　him。

〃Jim　reckoned　it　was　you　hangin'　round　the　rocks；　but　I　couldn't
tell　at　that　distance。　　Seemed　you　borrowed　a　hat　and　coat。　　Well
it's　all　fixed；　and　we've　no　time　to　lose。　　There's　a　coasting
steamer　just　dropping　down　below　the　Heads；　and　it　will　take　you
aboard。　　But　I　can　tell　you　you've　kicked　up　a　h…ll　of　a　row　over
there。〃　　He　stopped；　evidently　at　some　sign　from　her　guest。　　The
rest　of　the　man's　speech　followed　in　a　hurried　whisper；　which　was
stopped　again　by　the　voice　she　knew。　　〃No。　　Certainly　not。〃　　The
next　moment　his　tall　figure　was　darkening　the　door　of　the　kitchen；
his　hand　was　outstretched。　　〃Good…by；　Mrs。　Bunker；　and　many　thanks
for　your　hospitality。　　My　friends　here；〃　he　turned　grimly　to　the
men　behind　him；　〃think　I　ought　to　ask　you　to　keep　this　a　secret
even　from　your　husband。　　I　DON'T！　　They　also　think　that　I　ought　to
offer　you　money　for　your　kindness。　　I　DON'T！　　But　if　you　will　honor
me　by　keeping　this　ring　in　remembrance　of　it〃he　took　a　heavy　seal
ring　from　his　finger〃it's　the　only　bit　of　jewelry　I　have　about
meI'll　be　very　glad。　　Good…by！〃　　She　felt　for　a　moment　the　firm；
soft　pressure　of　his　long；　thin　fingers　around　her　own；　and　then
he　was　gone。　　The　sound　of　retreating　oars　grew　fainter　and　fainter
and　was　lost。　　The　same　reserve　of　delicacy　which　now　appeared　to
her　as　a　duty　kept　her　from　going　to　the　window　to　watch　the
destination　of　the　boat。　　No；　he　should　go　as　he　came；　without　her
supervision　or　knowledge。

Nor　did　she　feel　lonely　afterwards。　　On　the　contrary；　the　silence
and　solitude　of　the　isolated　domain　had　a　new　charm。　　They　kept　the
memory　of　her　experience　intact；　and　enabled　her　to　refill　it　with
his　presence。　　She　could　see　his　tall　figure　again　pausing　before
her　cabin；　without　the　incongruous　association　of　another
personality；　she　could　hear　his　voice　again；　unmingled　with　one
more　familiar。　　For　the　first　time；　the　regular　absence　of　her
husband　seemed　an　essential　good　fortune　instead　of　an　accident　of
their　life。　　For　the　experience　belonged　to　HER；　and　not　to　him　and
her　together。　　He　could　not　understand　it；　he　would　have　acted
differently　and　spoiled　it。　　She　should　not　tell　him　anything　of
it；　in　spite　of　the　stranger's　suggestion；　which；　of　course；　he　had
only　made　because　he　didn't　know　Zephas　as　well　as　she　did。　　For
Mrs。　Bunker　was　getting　on　rapidly；　it　was　her　first　admission　of
the　conjugal　knowledge　that　one's　husband　is　inferior　to　the
outside　estimate　of　him。　　The　next　stepthe　belief　that　he　was
deceiving　HER　as　he　was　THEMwould　be　comparatively　easy。

Nor　should　she　show　him　the　ring。　　The　stranger　had　certainly　never
said　anything　about　that！　　It　was　a　heavy　ring；　with　a　helmeted
head　carved　on　its　red　carnelian　stone；　and　what　looked　like
strange　letters　around　it。　　It　fitted　her　third　finger　perfectly；
but　HIS　fingers　were　small；　and　he　had　taken　it　from　his　little
finger。　　She　should　keep　it　herself。　　Of　course；　if　it　had　been
money；　she　would　have　give